Postponed!!

Due to low registration numbers, your Capitol Bocce team has decided to postpone the event until further notice. We are going to re-group and get back to you as soon as we can.

In the meantime, thoughts, outrage, comments, support are appreciated. Email us!

REGISTRATION OPEN

Registration for the Capitol Bocce Tournament to benefit Arghand is now open! We have a limited amount of space, so get your team signed up today! Please read the instructions below carefully to register your team in two easy steps.

Before we get started, here are the important details about the event one more time:
DATE: Saturday, July 26th
TIME: 10AM
LOCATION: National Mall, between 4th and 7th Streets
TEAM INFO: Team registration is $200. Teams must have a minimum of 3 members, with a Team Captain and a (witty and clever) Team Name.

FIRST, To reserve a spot for your team, send us a quick email to ballsonthemall@gmail.com with the following information. Just copy and paste!

TEAM NAME:
TEAM CAPTAIN:
EMAIL:
TEAM MEMBER:
EMAIL:
TEAM MEMBER:
EMAIL:
TEAM MEMBER:
EMAIL:

NEXT, Once we have received ALL of your team's info, we will send your team an email with a link to the official registration page to pay your team's $200 registration fee. There is the opportunity for team members to donate at different levels, so everyone can contribute the appropriate amount (ie: $50 from 4 team members). However, to ensure that your team is officially registered, we recommend that a single team member pay the $200 at once.

To make things even easier, you can forward the email with the registration link to your family and friends. Ask them to make a contribution to get your team to the $200 mark.

REMEMBER: Your team is NOT officially registered until we receive $200 in total donations. We will send you a confirmation email once that happens.

Why stop there? The team that is able to "friend-raise" the most money over $200 will receive a prize at the tournament.

Interested in playing, but don't have 3 people? Send us a quick email and we'll hook you up with other players.

Want to contribute at a different level or having an issue with Google Checkout? Let us know!

Registration Almost Here

Hello Ballers,

Registration is coming this week. We're aiming for Monday and ask you to bear with us while we work out the fastest and easiest way to get everyone registered. We want to make sure that as much of your dollar as possible makes it to Arghand, so we're trying to get creative. In the meantime, here are some important details so that you're ready to sign up when the time comes.

DATE: Saturday, July 26th
TIME: 10AM
LOCATION: National Mall, between 4th and 7th Streets
TEAM INFO: Team registration is $200. Teams must have a minimum of 3 members, with a Team Captain and a (preferably witty and clever) Team Name.

We want team members to able to contribute separately instead of one person having to front the money. And we'd also like you to be able to "friend raise" by asking friends and family to contribute to your team. We're almost there ... If you have any thoughts or comments, please let us know!

Sarah on NPR

Arghand founder and former NPR reporter, Sarah Chayes, was on NPR's Morning Edition today to talk about the current situation and what Afghans want.

Listen here.

Donate Now!

Google saved the day. Now it's time for you to take action! With just a click, you can make a difference a world away. It may sound simple to say that $20 will empower the people of Southern Afghanistan to improve their lives and communities ... and, well it is exactly that simple. Arghand needs everything from candles to duct tape to a high quality ice chest to serve as a refrigerator. You can view their list of needs by clicking Wishlist on their website. If $20 can buy 10 candles, think of the light you can bring with $100.

Forward this link to your friends and family to get others involved. Together we can make a big difference where it's needed most.

(NOTE: This does not count towards a team registration!!! If you want to play in the tournament and make a donation for your team -- hold your balls! More details coming later this week.)

Keep scrolling ...

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Donate ... Later

We're having some technical issues with our Donate Now button. Google is on the case and we're hoping to have it up later today. Thanks for checking us out ... and come back!

What's in a Name?

Arghand takes its name from the Arghandab district, which took its name from the river that flows through the area. While you know about Arghand and Kandahar through this blog, you may have been hearing about Arghandab for the first time in the news this week.

We wanted to briefly address the present situation in Southern Afghanistan, where Taliban forces have surfaced and made their presence known in the area, first conducting a successful raid on a prison outside Kandahar, freeing several men, and then mounting raids on villages. This may seem startling and seemingly out of nowhere, but it has been a sad reality in the area for some time. Just last October, Sarah Chayes, founder of Arghand, wrote an article for the Washington Post from Kandahar. The situation at that time is eerily similar to what's happening now.

The AP is reporting that NATO and Afghan forces were able to push out the Taliban, who also took some significant casualties. There seems to be some criticism and confusion coming from different parties over the managment of the situation by Afghan leaders. We've asked Sarah to share some thoughts with us on what's going on. In the meantime, you can read some more of her articles here.

Have any thoughts on the situation or a great article to share? Please post them to the comments.

Get Bear Naked

We are excited to announce that Bear Naked has joined as our newest event sponsor. They will provide samples to snack on at the tournament. Bear Naked produces all natural and organic products including granola, low sugar cereal, instant oatmeal and hot cereal that are both healthy and delicious. They have a great philosophy of active lifestyle and healthy living that we encourage you to check out here.


If you are interested in sponsoring the event, there is still plenty of time. Send us a quick email for more information.

Join the Mailing List

You'll be the first to know when registration opens later this month!

Just send us a quick email at ballsonthemall@gmail.com to be added to the list.

Location Details

Great news -- We secured our permit for space on the National Mall. We will be battling bocce-style between 4th and 7th Streets on Saturday, July 26th. Be there to play for bocce bragging rights or just stop by to show your support!

By Metro:
The Mall is easily accessible from the Smithsonian stop on the orange and blue lines or Archives-Navy Memorial stop on the yellow and green lines. The area between 4th and 7th Streets is bordered by the National Air & Space Museum to the south and the National Gallery of Art (west building) to the north. Check Trip Planner for further metro directions.

Scents and Sensibility

When you're not out honing your bocce skills, check out a great article, Scents and Sensibility, written by Sarah Chayes, founder of Arghand. The article provides great insight into how Arghand was founded and some of their early challenges, particulary in regard to funding. From the beginning, the generosity of individuals here in the US helped make Sarah's idea a reality. Today, Arghand is making a real difference in Southern Afghanistan, and there's still more to be done!

We're still looking for sponsors.

Get signed up and pre-register one free team before

June 13th!

Sponsorship Information

The Capitol Bocce Ball Tournament is just two months away!

We'd like to jumpstart activity by securing sponsorships and we need your help. Sponsorships will ensure that we raise enough funding to help Arghand realize its mission of weaning Southern Afghanistan off the opium poppy. It will also help to make the event a success!

We have two sponsorship packages, each listed below. Both will provide the donor with valuable exposure to a young professional audience through logo or name placement on event t-shirts, the website, signage and registration materials and press releases.

In return for your help in securing sponsorships, we are waiving the registration fee for teams that bring in sponsors at the $1,000 level.

If you would like more info or know someone who may be interested, email us at: ballsonthemall@gmail.com. You can also access the full package here. Cheers!

$1,000 Sponsorship Package
Organization logo printed on:

• event t-shirts
• signage & printed material at registration
• event website
• press release and media alert
• verbal acknowledgment
  
  + 1 team registration if pledged before Monday, June 9

$500 Sponsorship Package
Organization name printed on:

• event t-shirt
• printed material at registration
• event website
• press release and media alert
• verbal acknowledgment

Balls on the Mall

Welcome to the first-ever Bocce Ball Tournament to benefit Arghand in Washington, DC!

We're in planning mode for the day-long festivities on July 26th -- a Bocce Ball tournament followed by a reception at a local bar tbd (suggestions welcome) to benefit Arghand, a cooperative in Kandahar, Afghanistan that is contributing to community and economic development in the region.

Arghand supports the licit local fruit market by producing natural skin-care products for export. Founded in 2005 by Sarah Chayes, former National Public Radio reporter, Arghand began with a simple and essential motivation: to wean the economy of Southern Afghanistan off the trade of the opium poppy and empower the people to better their communities and lives. With a membership comprised of men and women, young and old, Arghand is a true cooperative in which each member is empowered by involvement in the decision-making process and a stake in the assets. Today, Arghand is flourishing with products for sale in boutique retailers in the United States and Canada. Check out http://www.arghand.org/ for more details.

On July 26th, we'll help them on their way to improving the lives of Afghanis by celebrating their accomplishments and gather for a day of Bocce on the Mall. Stay tuned for more details!